Case Study

ORTHO – Severe osteoarthritis with advanced meniscal degeneration in a 8 year old FS Rotteiller with lameness

This 8 year old FS Rottweiller dog presented with left hind lameness. Fibrosed, resistent to flexion. ALT incr 219.

DX

The left and right stifle joint reveal severe osteoarthritis with cartilage breakdown, subchondral bone erosion as well as marked capsular fibrosis, synovialitis and effusion. Advanced meniscal degeneration is noted.

Image Interpretation

Ultrasound of the left and right stifles –

Left:

The supra- and infrapatellar recess of the left stifle joint reveal marked capsular fibrosis, synovial thickening as well as moderate anechoic effusion. A large amount of osteophytes is seen at the periarticular margins of the femoropatellar and femorotibial joint as well as marked cartilage and subchondral bone erosion. The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) appears to be continuous with mildly uneven diameter and irregular echogenicity. The infrapatellar fat body presents moderate heterogeneity as found commonly in degenerative joint disease (DJD). The lateral meniscal surface is irregular, the internal echogenicity of the lateral meniscus is non-uniform with small/emerging mineralizations. The medial meniscus is not seen.

Right stifle: The findings are very similar. The CCL cannot be delineated with certainty

Outcome

The ultrasonographic findings do not support cranial cruciate ligament pathology to be the underlying cause of the changes even though development of failure is a potential during the course of the disease. However, a definite diagnosis cannot be made at this point.
Consider primary degenerative joint disease with compartment syndrome. Rule out other erosive arthritis – such as immune mediated and septic – by aspiration of synovia for cytology and culture